Trek to a Merry Minnesota Toyland
In southeast Minnesota, toy lovers of all ages discover exceptional playthings they'll be proud to put under the tree this season and to pass on from generations to generation.

You almost expect to see St. Nick himself at LARK Toys. But actually, Sarah and Donn Kreofsky get the credit for stocking their indoor mall, which resembles a north woods lodge. It sprawls across a southeast Minnesota bluff-top near the Mississippi River town of Kellogg (80 miles south of the Twin Cities).

LARK's three toy stores, toy museum, year round bookstore and Christmas shop showcase playthings and collectibles that not only appeal to discriminating youngsters, but also to their parents and grandparents. A mischievous-looking wooden troll named Kral (LARK spelled backwards) watches from the rafters as you enter the building.

Taking a Spin
Adults line up beside kids to ride Donn and Sarah's full-size carousel spinning in a circus-tent-size room. Riders choose from 20 richly detailed, wooden creatures, which Donn designed and LARK crafters carved. You can take a spin on a fierce-looking dragon or a Minnesota river otter.

The otter wears old-fashioned Mississippi River pearl buttons that area factories used to make, and the wolf bears the symbol of Sioux medicine men, "Every figure begins with a story," Donn explains.

A former art professor, Donn also designs the handmade wooden toys that line the shelves in the Troll Toy Shop. You can take home a rocking dragon, a rabbit that hops along behind you or a lumbering pint-size stegosaurus. Other creations include stools and toy boxes emblazoned with youngsters' names, even their hand outlines.

LARK's other shops lure adults, as well as youngsters. Boomer Heaven carries Rin-Tin-Tin lunch boxes, trains, Slinkies and other toys that older customers remember. The Museum Shop showcases collectibles such as Russian nesting dolls and cast-iron banks.

Over in the Christmas Shop, you can buy unusual decorations you might not find anywhere else. Popular items include Nutcrackers from Germany, blown glass ornaments and LARK's own miniature village.

The aromas of freshly baked dill bread and caramel rolls draw you to the Plane Bakery. You'll see all sorts of model flying machines hanging there overhead.

A Toy Story
Donn Started making wooden Noah's Arks and pull toys almost 20 years ago. Sarah, a former elementary school teacher, helped with the staining and selling.

LARK, which stands for "Lost Arts Revival By Kreofsky," opened in 1983 as a small workshop. Now, the on-site factory produces Donn's designs and fills orders that come from all over the country. The couple's three teenage sons help out any way they can.

With a teacher's keen eye, Sarah chooses all the toys not made in the factory. "I like toys that let kids use their imaginations," she says. Sarah also picks the 2,000 titles the bookstore stocks.

Deciding what to sell was easy, she says, " We know what our family likes, and we hope yours will, too."

Article by Barbara Briggs Morrow
Midwest Living- December 1999